Driving in India is a real-life video game

NEW DELHI: For Sunitha Dugar and her four companions who are part of a national “Safe Speed Challenge”, driving on Indian roads is nothing less than “playing a video game” in real life and one doesn’t know who will come from where on to the road. “When you are driving on the road, you should be prepared for surprises. So, it’s your responsibility to save yourself and save others. It’s actually a real video game on the road risking many lives,” said Sunita, an entrepreneur from Chennai. The five women from different walks of life are participating in the challenge that was flagged off by defence minister Rajnath Singh and road transport minister Nitin Gadkari from Wagah to Kanyakumari. Several factors, including poor infrastructure, unsafe driving, inadequate enforcement and trauma care have made Indian roads unsafe claiming 415 lives daily. Speaking to TOI, Neha Dua from Noida said, “We lack safety culture. More than speeding, speed management is the biggest challenge. You hardly find signage and road markings to help drivers”.